Rogue Travel - Art, Jewelry, And Creations By Rafi Perez And Klee Angelie

Posted on April 6, 2024April 6, 2024 by Artist Rafi Perez — Leave a comment

Embracing the Celestial Dance: 2024 Solar Eclipse

In 2017, we embarked on a journey across the US to witness the extraordinary spectacle of the solar eclipse. Standing beneath the celestial ballet, as the moon gracefully obscured the sun, was a moment of pure magic. It was a reminder of our place in the vast cosmos, simultaneously feeling small yet infinitely connected to the universe.

Now, in 2024, (April 8th) the anticipation surges once more as the trajectory of the solar eclipse brings it closer to home. Living less than an hour away from the path of totality feels like destiny unfolding. It’s as if the universe has conspired to grant us another opportunity to bask in its celestial glory.

For those who have never experienced the solar totality, it’s difficult to put into words the profound impact it can have. As the sky darkens and the world falls into a hushed reverence, there’s a palpable sense of awe that permeates the air. It’s a reminder of the wonders that exist beyond our daily routines and concerns, inviting us to pause and marvel at the beauty of existence.

The upcoming solar eclipse is not just a celestial event; it’s a rare opportunity to witness nature’s grandeur firsthand. With the next eclipse in our area not expected until 2099, the importance of seizing the moment becomes even more poignant. It’s a chance to create lasting memories and forge a deeper connection with the universe that surrounds us.

So, whether you’re a seasoned eclipse chaser or someone curious to witness this phenomenon for the first time, I urge you to step outside and join in the spectacle. Allow yourself to be swept away by the cosmic dance unfolding overhead. Let the experience remind you of the boundless wonders that await when we simply look up and embrace the magic of the universe.

This experience will leave you inspired. In the aftermath of the 2017 solar eclipse, its impact lingered in our minds long after the sun had reemerged from behind the moon. The experience had left an indelible mark on us, igniting our creativity and inspiring us in unexpected ways.

The result was a stunning work of art by Klee—a delicate pendant that shimmered with iridescence, reminiscent of the sun’s corona radiating outwards during totality. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, each facet of the jewelry reflected the mesmerizing beauty of the celestial event that had inspired it.

As the 2024 solar eclipse approaches, let’s come together to celebrate our place in the cosmos and revel in the beauty of the celestial ballet. It’s a reminder that, despite the chaos of our daily lives, there is always something extraordinary waiting to be discovered if we only take the time to look.

So mark your calendars, gather your loved ones, and prepare to witness a moment of pure magic. The 2024 solar eclipse is upon us, and it’s an experience you won’t want to miss.

Posted on December 24, 2023December 24, 2023 by Artist Rafi Perez — Leave a comment

From Stormy Chaos to a Kaleidoscope of Creativity

Well, well, well! Look who’s back! It’s been a whopping eight months since our last adventure video, and oh, what a ride it’s been. From battling defiant trees to unexpected soirées with bats, our journey in Oil City has been nothing short of a rollercoaster of creativity and fun. So, grab your popcorn and let’s relive the highlights of our exhilarating escapade! You can watch our recent adventure below!

As we reflect on the past eight months, we realize that every storm, every surprise, and every creative endeavor has added a thread of color to our unique tapestry. The unruly tree may still cast its shadow, but we’ve learned to find beauty even in defiance.

So, here’s to the storms, the trees, the conferences, the unexpected, and the magic that unfolds when creativity meets life. As we bid adieu to this chapter, we eagerly await the blank canvas of the next, ready to paint it with the vibrant spirit of resilience, discovery, and boundless creativity.

Stay inspired, fellow adventurers, for our journey continues, and the best is yet to come! Enjoy the video:

Posted on May 3, 2019August 1, 2021 by Artist Rafi Perez — Leave a comment

Siloam Springs Arkansas – The Little Things In Life Are Huge

Recently Klee and I went up north to go see my daughter’s lead performance in her last High school play. It was an amazing trip, watching her on stage was a highlight of the year. I don’t think I can describe in words how proud I am. I’m also happy that Klee and I had the opportunity to talk in the car for 28 hours of driving.

I’ll be honest, before we left I was a little stressed about time and finances. This year has been a bit slow starting for us, and although I know things always look up, I was in the thick of it while paying and planning for the trip.

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I also knew that the long drive would be a great opportunity to talk things out and figure out what was going on in my head. I’m usually very optimistic and tend to feel empowered in most situations, but somehow I had lost my grasp and was venturing into a dark place. This drive would be a great way to dig deep.

One of the things that struck me while investigating my head was that I was distracted. My mind would wander into worst case scenarios and I would miss the experience I was in. I noticed that Klee had to repeat herself at times because I just wasn’t there. What was interesting about this, was that life was happening, and I was missing it.

I thought about all those little moments that we fail to notice, and how freeing it is to appreciate those little moments.

And yet most of the time we fail to notice them. We don’t recognize them properly, forget them, or simply take them for granted.

Once I realized this, I made a mental list of reasons why gratitude for the little things in life is important.

Appreciating the little things in life means that you focus your attention on what nurtures, sustains, and brings you even the smallest amount of pleasure. By appreciating life, you won’t stop bad stuff from happening, but you’ll learn how to stop emphasizing the meaning of bad events in your life.

Once you take a moment to appreciate an act of kindness coming from someone you love or a person you don’t even know, you’ll become more aware of your belonging to a community of people who care about each other. Reciprocating these actions only helps to strengthen these social bonds.

Resilient people build their strengths on positive emotions. These emotions simply help them to cope with difficult situations.

When you’re in the middle of a life event, it’s important that you savor it as much as you can. Choose to be present in the now. When you’re living with more awareness, you notice everything – the little pieces of everyday beauty.

I think we tend to get caught up in the drama of our minds and forget that life is beautiful, precious, and short. So stop and appreciate all of it.

Posted on November 11, 2018July 29, 2021 by Artist Rafi Perez — Leave a comment

It’s Been A Fantastic Ride So Far

This month is always fun for me, because it marks the anniversary of Klee and I taking a chance on the unknown. It will be about 9 years since we jumped into the Explorer and decided to go on an adventure to push our limits beyond what we had experienced.

I’ll never forget the day that Klee looked at me seriously (it was a very dramatic tele-novella look) and said “I’m going with you”. See, I had decided that I was going to travel around the country and experience a new perspective on life. Despite the fact that my family kept saying I would probably die from eating poison berries, my mind was set.

In fact, even finally meeting the love of my life and developing a beautiful new relationship wasn’t going to deter me from taking this journey.

I had spent my life the same way that many people do, being someone who I wasn’t. I mean, I didn’t really know who I was. I knew I liked certain things, didn’t like other things, got mad about things, and laughed at others… but I wasn’t sure if it was just who I thought I should be, or who I really was.

I had never really taken a look at myself from the outside, or challenged my own thoughts. I just reacted to situations and circumstances in life, but never really asked the question “Why am I reacting this way?”. I think I was under the impression that I didn’t have a choice, that I was “just that way”.

As a result, my life sucked, or at least that’s how I felt. I think back then I was so far down the rabbit hole that no matter what the circumstances of my life could have been, I would have made it suck in my head.

Then I hit rock bottom… and it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.

It was as if someone had reset the computer in my head, and for the first time in my life, I was questioning why I was settling for beliefs that worked against me, and actually caused me to hate myself.

Cut to 2 years of self examination and I was ready to challenge the world.

Yup, that’s who Klee decided to get in a car and travel around the country with. Some hairy bandanna wearing guy that freaked out her mother.

A guy that she would spend weeks in the middle of the everglades with.

A guy that she hiked shark valley with, even though we underestimated what 14 miles would take out of us.

A guy that she took turns with hugging a four and a half foot alligator named Leroy.

A guy she wrote music with and performed live while his knees gave out because he was so nervous.

A guy that she lived in Key West with for several months while they worked out some of their baggage.

A guy that she went kayaking with for their first time and got lost in the sun for six hours and still had a blast even though they were sunburned.

A guy that encouraged her to interview David Sheely who is the top investigator of the Florida Skunk Ape.

A guy she encouraged to show his art for the first time… and who is forever grateful.

A guy that loves her more and more every day and can’t possibly write down all the amazing things we have done so far.

I’m so happy she did.

So, here we are still on this adventure. We may not be driving around the country but we are most definitely staying true to who we are as best we can every day. What I didn’t know back then, when I planned this adventure was that I would be sharing it with Klee… And that I am ever changing, and so is she… So no matter what, every day is a new adventure.